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Racehorse owned by Queen fails dope test

Britain's Queen Elizabeth II, with her daughter Princess Anne and her horse Estimate, who won the 2013 Ascot Gold Cup. Photo: AP

LONDON

A racehorse owned by Queen Elizabeth II that won the prestigious Gold Cup at Royal Ascot last year has tested positive for the banned substance morphine.

Buckingham Palace says that early indications suggest that the five-year-old filly, Estimate, consumed the substance as a result of contaminated feed.

John Warren, the Queen's bloodstock and racing adviser, said on Tuesday that Estimate's trainer Michael Stoute "is working closely with the feed company involved to discover how the product may have become contaminated prior to delivery to his stables".

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‘‘On Thursday July 17 the BHA announced that a number of post-race samples, obtained from recent race-meetings, had found to indicate the presence of morphine, which is a prohibited substance on race-days. Five horses, under the care of various trainers, were affected, Warren said.

H‘‘I can confirm that one of those horses was Estimate, the five-year-old filly trained by Sir Michael Stoute and owned by the Queen. Initial indications are that the positive test resulted from the consumption of a contaminated feed product.

‘‘As the BHA investigates this matter, including potential links between different cases, Sir Michael continues to offer his full cooperation. There will be no further comment until the BHA announces its considered findings. Her Majesty has been informed of the situation.’’

Estimate finished second in this year's Gold Cup and won the event in 2013. She is expected to be disqualified as British authorities take a near-to-zero tolerance approach to the presence of the drug in competitors.

Estimate was one of five horses who tested positive for morphine at the famous festival of racing. Up to ten other horses at the carnival may have tested positive, including the winner of a major event.

The contamination of feed by poppy seeds is reportedly a probable cause of the positive tests.